Trump Handed Another Federal Court Loss in IMLS Lawsuit

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Kelly is a former librarian and a longtime blogger for Stacked. She is the editor/author of Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices. Her next book, Body Talk, will be published in the fall of 2020. Follow her on Instagram@heykellyjensen.

District Judge John J. McConnell granted the plaintiff a temporary injunction in mid-May. The Trump administration stipulated that all damages have been inflicted on IML so far, including bringing back all employees, reviving grants, and halting future demolitions.

This is another victory for the future of IMLS, but comes with notes. Many lawsuits have driven the judicial system this year after the institution was dismantled through the president’s executive order. When the Trump administration did not find favor with either the district or circuit courts, they appealed to the Supreme Court. There, the administration is offered a stay pending appeal.

In this case, it is not certain whether this will happen, but it is not the problem either.

Of course, if IMLS is refunded as outlined in Trump’s 2026 budget, the outcome of this case and the ALA/AFSCME case will be controversial. The good news is that at the time of writing, both the House and Senate are funding the institutions. It’s a game that’s now waiting as the bill passes through Congress with the September 30th deadline.

Find out the complete timeline for demolition of museum and library service labs, and the impact of institutional upheavals on state and local libraries and museums here.

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